Dynamic reconfiguration-switching of windings in an electric motor

Abstract

Dynamic reconfiguration-switching of motor windings is optimized between winding-configurations. Acceleration is traded off in favor of higher velocity upon detecting an electric motor is at an optimal angular-velocity for switching to an optimal lower torque constant and voltage constant. The total back electromotive force (BEMF) is prohibited from inhibiting further acceleration to a higher angular-velocity.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for switching motor windings within an electric motor using a processor device, the method comprising:
 optimizing a dynamic reconfiguration-switching of a plurality of motor windings between a plurality of winding-configurations for trading off acceleration in favor of higher velocity upon detecting the electric motor is at an optimal angular-velocity for switching to an optimal lower torque constant and voltage constant thereby preventing a total back electromotive force (BEMF) from inhibiting further acceleration to a higher angular-velocity; and 
 using m simultaneous-linear equations, having m number of unknown variables, for determining a plurality of voltage constants, the optimal time, and the optimal angular-velocity for performing the dynamic reconfiguration-switching between each of the plurality of winding-configurations, wherein a number of the m simultaneous-linear equations increases, starting with one equation for a three-winding-configuration of the electric motor and adding an additional simultaneous equation for each additional one of the plurality of winding-configurations, and a number of the plurality of voltage constants equal to the correlating one of the plurality of winding-configurations. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further including performing the dynamic reconfiguration-switching between the plurality of motor windings using one of a wye connection and a delta connection system for the electric motor. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further including performing the dynamic reconfiguration-switching between the plurality of winding-configurations in a successive order when a velocity sensor detects the electric motor is at the optimal angular-velocity for switching the torque constant and the voltage constant. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further including trading off angular-acceleration for a greater angular-velocity as speed of the electric motor is increased whereby the torque constant, the voltage constant, and the angular-acceleration correspondingly decrease. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further including performing the dynamic reconfiguration-switching using a higher angular-acceleration at a lower angular-velocity upon slowing down the electric motor. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further including organizing the m simultaneous-linear equations, having the m number of unknown variables, into a tridiagonal system of linear equations, a coefficient matrix of the tridiagonal system of linear equations having 2's along an entire main diagonal of the coefficient matrix, and negative 1's along diagonals immediately adjacent to the main diagonal, and all other entries of the coefficient matrix being zero, and a right-hand-side vector comprising a first entry of 1, a last entry of N, denoting N times a maximum allowable angular-velocity V of the electric motor at a one hundred percent torque constant, and all other entries of the right-hand-side vector being zero. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further including, for a WCth-winding-configuration of the electric motor, performs each of:
 increasing to an angular-velocity N times a capability of the electric motor with the one hundred percent torque constant and the voltage constant, 
 calculating an optional time for performing the dynamic reconfiguration-switching by first finding a total time for acceleration to an angular-velocity of NV and differentiating the total time with respect to vector of unknowns X and then setting each first derivatives to zero to find an optimal value of the vector of unknowns X to minimize the total time, and 
 taking a second derivative of the total time with respect to the vector of unknowns X, wherein a positive-second derivative indicates a value of the vector of unknowns X that minimizes and optimizes the total time for performing the dynamic reconfiguration-switching, where X is an unknown used for subdividing the one hundred percent torque constant of the electric motor into smaller units of the torque constant which allows the electric motor to go faster than V angular-velocity and up to the angular-velocity of NV where V is a maximum angular-velocity achieved with the one hundred percent torque constant, and N is an arbitrary value greater than 1, where WC is the a number of possible winding-configurations of the electric motor. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further including increasing a total angular velocity and decreasing the torque constant, the voltage constant, and angular-acceleration as a number of the plurality of motor windings of the electric motor increases. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further including activating a plurality of switches to connect the plurality of motor windings in a parallel configuration to reduce the total back-EMF from the plurality of motor windings and allow for greater angular-velocity of the electric motor. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further including activating a plurality of switches to bypass an electrical connection to at least one of the plurality of motor windings to provide a minimum back-EMF and allow for greater angular-velocity of the electric motor. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further including activating a plurality of switches to connect the plurality of motor windings in a serial configuration to maximize torque on the electric motor. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further including selectively activating the plurality of motor windings for each electrical phase of the electric motor to provide for multiple velocities. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , further including activating a plurality of switches to disconnect the plurality of motor windings in a serial configuration to maximize torque on the electric motor. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dynamic reconfiguration-switching occurs between each of the plurality of winding-configurations at an optimal time for allowing a dynamic trade-off between the angular-velocity and angular-acceleration. 
     
     
       15. A system for switching motor windings within an electric motor, the system comprising:
 an electric motor having a plurality of motor windings, 
 a plurality of switches for controlling a current through the plurality of motor windings of the electric motor, and 
 a processor device in communication with the plurality of switches, wherein the processor device:
 optimizes a dynamic reconfiguration-switching of plurality of motor windings between a plurality of winding-configurations for trading off acceleration in favor of higher velocity upon detecting the electric motor is at an optimal angular-velocity for switching to an optimal lower torque constant and voltage constant thereby preventing a total back electromotive force (BEMF) from inhibiting further acceleration to a higher angular-velocity, and 
 uses m simultaneous-linear equations, having m number of unknown variables, for determining a plurality of voltage constants, the optimal time, and the optimal angular-velocity for performing the dynamic reconfiguration-switching between each of the plurality of winding-configurations, wherein a number of the m simultaneous-linear equations increases, starting with one equation for a three-winding-configuration of the electric motor and adding an additional simultaneous equation for each additional one of the plurality of winding-configurations, and a number of the plurality of voltage constants equal to the correlating one of the plurality of winding configurations. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor device performs the dynamic reconfiguration-switching between the plurality of motor windings using one of a wye connection and a delta connection system for the electric motor. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor device performs the dynamic reconfiguration-switching between the plurality of winding-configurations in a successive order when a velocity sensor detects the electric motor is at the optimal angular-velocity for switching the torque constant and the voltage constant. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor device trades off angular-acceleration for a greater angular-velocity as speed of the electric motor is increased whereby the torque constant, the voltage constant, and the angular-acceleration correspondingly decrease. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor device performs the dynamic reconfiguration-switching using a higher angular-acceleration at a lower angular-velocity upon slowing down the electric motor. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor device organizes the m simultaneous-linear equations, having the m number of unknown variables, into a tridiagonal system of linear equations, a coefficient matrix of the tridiagonal system of linear equations having 2's along an entire main diagonal of the coefficient matrix, and negative 1's along diagonals immediately adjacent to the main diagonal, and all other entries of the coefficient matrix being zero, and a right-hand-side vector comprising a first entry of 1, a last entry of N, denoting N times a maximum allowable angular-velocity V of the motor at a one hundred percent torque constant, and all other entries of the right-hand-side vector being zero. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20 , wherein the processor device, for a WCth-winding-configuration of the electric motor, performs each of:
 increasing to an angular-velocity N times a capability of the electric motor with the one hundred percent torque constant and the voltage constant, 
 calculating an optional time for performing the dynamic reconfiguration-switching by first finding a total time for acceleration to an angular-velocity of NV and differentiating the total time with respect to vector of unknowns X and then setting each first derivatives to zero to find an optimal value of the vector of unknowns X to minimize the total time, and 
 taking a second derivative of the total time with respect to the vector of unknowns X, wherein a positive-second derivative indicates a value of the vector of unknowns X that minimizes and optimizes the total time for performing the dynamic reconfiguration-switching, where X is an unknown used for subdividing the one hundred percent torque constant of the electric motor into smaller units of the torque constant which allows the electric motor to go faster than V angular-velocity and up to the angular-velocity of NV where V is a maximum angular-velocity achieved with the one hundred percent torque constant, and N is an arbitrary value greater than 1, where WC is the a number of possible winding-configurations of the electric motor. 
 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 21 , wherein the processor device increases a total angular velocity and decreasing the torque constant, the voltage constant, and angular-acceleration as a number of the plurality of motor windings of the electric motor increases. 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor device activates the plurality of switches to connect the plurality of motor windings in a parallel configuration to reduce the total back-EMF from the plurality of motor windings and allow for greater angular-velocity of the electric motor. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor device activates the plurality of switches to bypass an electrical connection to at least one of the plurality of motor windings to provide a minimum back-EMF and allow for greater angular-velocity of the electric motor. 
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor device activates the plurality of switches to connect the plurality of motor windings in a serial configuration to maximize torque on the electric motor. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor device selectively activates the plurality of motor windings for each electrical phase of the electric motor to provide for multiple velocities. 
     
     
       27. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor device activates the plurality of switches to disconnect the plurality of motor windings in a serial configuration to maximize torque on the electric motor. 
     
     
       28. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the dynamic reconfiguration-switching occurs between each of the plurality of winding-configurations at an optimal time for allowing a dynamic trade-off between the angular-velocity and angular-acceleration. 
     
     
       29. A computer program product for switching motor windings within an electric motor using a processor device, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
 a first executable portion that optimizes a dynamic reconfiguration-switching of plurality of motor windings between a plurality of winding-configurations for trading off acceleration in favor of higher velocity upon detecting the electric motor is at an optimal angular-velocity for switching to an optimal lower torque constant and voltage constant thereby preventing a total back electromotive force (BEMF) from inhibiting further acceleration to a higher angular-velocity; and 
 a second executable portion that uses m simultaneous-linear equations, having m number of unknown variables, for determining a plurality of voltage constants, the optimal time, and the optimal angular-velocity for performing the dynamic reconfiguration-switching between each of the plurality of winding-configurations wherein a number of the m simultaneous-linear equations increases, starting with one equation for a three-winding-configuration of the electric motor and adding an additional simultaneous equation for each additional one of the plurality of winding-configurations, and a number of the plurality of voltage constants equal to the correlating one of the plurality of winding-configurations. 
 
     
     
       30. The computer program product of  claim 29 , further including a third executable portion that performs the dynamic reconfiguration-switching between the plurality of motor windings using one of a wye connection and a delta connection system for the electric motor. 
     
     
       31. The computer program product of  claim 29 , further including a third executable portion that performs the dynamic reconfiguration-switching between the plurality of winding-configurations in a successive order when a velocity sensor detects the electric motor is at the optimal angular-velocity for switching the torque constant and the voltage constant. 
     
     
       32. The computer program product of  claim 29 , further including a third executable portion that trades off angular-acceleration for a greater angular-velocity as speed of the electric motor is increased whereby the torque constant, the voltage constant, and the angular-acceleration correspondingly decrease. 
     
     
       33. The computer program product of  claim 29 , further including a third executable portion that performs the dynamic reconfiguration-switching using a higher angular-acceleration at a lower angular-velocity upon slowing down the electric motor. 
     
     
       34. The computer program product of  claim 29 , further including a third executable portion that organizes the m simultaneous-linear equations, having the m number of unknown variables, into a tridiagonal system of linear equations, a coefficient matrix of the tridiagonal system of linear equations having 2's along an entire main diagonal of the coefficient matrix, and negative 1's along diagonals immediately adjacent to the main diagonal, and all other entries of the coefficient matrix being zero, and a right-hand-side vector comprising a first entry of 1, a last entry of N, denoting N times a maximum allowable angular-velocity of the motor at a one hundred percent torque constant, and all other entries of the right-hand-side vector being zero. 
     
     
       35. The computer program product of  claim 34 , further including a fourth executable portion that, for a WCth-winding-configuration of the electric motor, performs each of:
 increasing to an angular-velocity N times a capability of the electric motor with the one hundred percent torque constant and the voltage constant, 
 calculating an optional time for performing the dynamic reconfiguration-switching by first finding a total time for acceleration to an angular-velocity of NV and differentiating the total time with respect to vector of unknowns X and then setting each first derivatives to zero to find an optimal value of the vector of unknowns X to minimize the total time, and 
 taking a second derivative of the total time with respect to the vector of unknowns X, wherein a positive-second derivative indicates a value of the vector of unknowns X that minimizes and optimizes the total time for performing the dynamic reconfiguration-switching, where X is an unknown used for subdividing the one hundred percent torque constant of the electric motor into smaller units of the torque constant which allows the electric motor to go faster than V angular-velocity and up to the angular-velocity of NV where V is a maximum angular-velocity achieved with the one hundred percent torque constant, and N is an arbitrary value greater than 1, where WC is the a number of possible winding-configurations of the electric motor. 
 
     
     
       36. The computer program product of  claim 35 , further including a fifth executable portion that increases a total angular velocity and decreasing the torque constant, the voltage constant, and angular-acceleration as a number of the plurality of motor windings of the electric motor increases. 
     
     
       37. The computer program product of  claim 29 , further including a third executable portion that activates the plurality of switches to connect the plurality of motor windings in a parallel configuration to reduce the total back-EMF from the plurality of motor windings and allow for greater angular-velocity of the electric motor. 
     
     
       38. The computer program product of  claim 29 , further including a third executable portion that activates the plurality of switches to bypass an electrical connection to at least one of the plurality of motor windings to provide a minimum back-EMF and allow for greater angular-velocity of the electric motor. 
     
     
       39. The computer program product of  claim 29 , further including a third executable portion that activates the plurality of switches to connect the plurality of motor windings in a serial configuration to maximize torque on the electric motor. 
     
     
       40. The computer program product of  claim 29 , further including a third executable portion that selectively activates the plurality of motor windings for each electrical phase of the electric motor to provide for multiple velocities. 
     
     
       41. The computer program product of  claim 29 , further including a third executable portion that activates the plurality of switches to disconnect the plurality of motor windings in a serial configuration to maximize torque on the electric motor. 
     
     
       42. The computer program product of  claim 29 , wherein the dynamic reconfiguration-switching occurs between each of the plurality of winding-configurations at an optimal time for allowing a dynamic trade-off between the angular-velocity and angular-acceleration.